Elder Tale: Another Tale
by Iubita Ceu
Summary: Hiccup played Elder Tale and find himself trapped inside the game with other 30,000 players on the Japanese Server. How can he get out? Or, how can he save this alternate world with his new found friends?
1. Chapter 1: Training Camp (Part 1)

A/N: Hello, everyone!

Since Log Horizon is one of the closest anime/novel in my heart at the moment, and RBTD as one of my first cross-over obsessions, I end up to this story.

It won't follow the exact story line of any of the involving stories but you may find some familiar scenes (just like some here in this first chapter).

So, let's drop this conversation now! Please free to leave comments. It would be a very big help to me. This is my first attempt in writing fan fiction so please bear with me. I'm a complete newbie. XD

Btw, I can't write using Merida's accent. So, I apologized for that part now.

(And I hope Mamare-sama would not kill me.)

*All characters are owned by their respective creators.

* * *

Hiccup inhaled the scent of the tides as the view of the coastline came in his sight.

Along with other 35 people, they are the main party heading to the designated camp site on the ZantLeaf Zone where the Round Table Council is holding a "Summer Training Camp For Beginners" like him.

He looked at his comrades on the carriage, laughing and excited for the new adventure awaiting all of them. It was such a sight.

Most of his companions were ex-members of the guild Hamelin, including him.

It was a very rough experience for each of them that some ends up traumatized.

They can't be blamed.

After the catastrophe, most of those kids wanted shelter. Shelter means a place providing emotional comfort, company, a place to stay.

Hamelin, saying that they were going to provide aides for beginners, could easily lure young players into their trap.

It was indeed a heavy sight.

If Hiccup isn't trapped on that situation, he would never be lure by those maggots.

Everyone knew him knows he's a smart guy. And with Monk as a class and survival experience in the real world (courtesy of his father), he doesn't need such kind of aides. He couldn't easily be fooled too.

But Hiccup has a different story compared to all of them.

He was forced to join Hamelin so he could protect someone that willingly joined the guild and he was really happy that nightmare has ended.

Someone caught his eyes from the other end of their carriage.

Rapunzel, the Bard, slightly wave her hand with a slight smile.

That girl, with her innocent eyes and friendly nature, who in their sane minds that already sense the danger would let her go all alone?

He smiled and nodded.

"If I just warned her right away when I first hear the news", he whispered to himself. Yet, he knew those things can't be helped. They were not really comrades before being in Hamelin.

"She changed a lot."

"Huh?" He looked at the flaming red-haired girl sitting beside him. It was a Merida, an Elf-race Assassin.

"Rapunzel. Must've been the days in Hamelin cause her to lose all her smiles. I've spend times with her before the catastrophe. She's nothing like that. "

He nodded. "It was a prison." He answered indirectly. He changed the topic, "Are you a member of any guilds?"

"Nah, I individually roam around. Thou, I'm planning to join D.D.D. in the future", she answered with gleaming eyes. "So, uh, Hiccup. Are yeh one of those Hamelin kids, too?" he just nodded as an answer, "Such awful guild. They've come to me, too. Good thing I'm loyal to D.D.D."

#

Their headquarters is an ancient school 500 meters away from the ZantLeaf River.

Along with the advance party, their group was divide to do different task.

Hiccup, along with Merida, Rapunzel, and three others were appointed to clean one of the classrooms that would be their sleeping area.

Hiccup busied himself by cleaning and scrubbing the floor, trying to ignore some thoughts that's crippling inside his head. He doesn't want to think about it at the moment. He wanted to enjoy everything.

There are times when he helped his companions like moving heavy things around. At some point, Merida or the now too quiet Rapunzel would kneel beside him while scrubbing the floor.

By suppertime, the food is sumptuous, thanks to a group of chefs led by a Were Cat named Nyanta of Log Horizon. For them that only ate foods that taste like soggy crackers since the catastrophe (well, almost everyone experienced it, too), even barbecues like this taste like heaven.

Everyone is lively.

This is the first time Hiccup experience this kind of feeling ever since he's trapped in this alternate reality. It warms his heart, making him temporarily forgot his problem. Though, he knew it'll haunt him again. Worries he must face.

The reason he will train hard.

( to be continued…)

* * *

Sorry, guys. Need to cut it for now. Don't know when would be the next update.

Ciao, minna-san!

I.C


	2. Chapter 1: Training Camp (Part 2)

A/N: Hello, minna-san!

I'm glad I was able to write the other half of my chapter one as early as this.

I don't have my own pc and I'm busy with my own life, too.

(Fighting monsters in reality, =D)

Anyway, most of the Chapter One's scenario was derived from the original Log Horizon.

ZantLeaf or Sand Leaf (based on the novel) is one of the locations that are part of the main story.

I also forgot to mention that this training camp consist of beginners from different guilds.

Or even descriptions of their looks!

Ugh! Sorry, everyone.

I'll try to elaborate much better in future.

I'm thinking of putting some Terminology section here but…

I'll talk about it some other times ^_^

So, uh, have fun reading!

*All characters are owned by their respective creators.

* * *

"Have any of you heard the news?" Ana, a brown-haired beginner Cleric from Cresent Moon Alliance approached Hiccup's group while eating barbecue as their celebration dinner for arriving safely at their training location.

Since Hiccup has sort of friends with Merida and of course Rapunzel, he decided to tag along with them.

They were situated near the camp fire with Merida on his left and Rapunzel sat next to her.

The other participants are scattered around the fire a little further from them, all of them lively eating dinner.

"What news?" Merida asked while munching her food.

"Our training will be divided into two categories and those of us having higher than level 20 will raid a Dungeon!" Ana answered, a glint of anticipation in her voice.

Merida can't contain her sudden excitement shouted and punch the air, "Yeah!"making the others look at their way but she doesn't seem to mind. "Great. It means I'm in too."

"What about us?" Rapunzel asserted, making them stare at her as if she's a ghost appeared all of a sudden.

Hiccup can understand Rapunzel's abrupt concern.

During his Hamelin days, he experienced farming for a short period of time, reason why he grew to level 20. But Rapunzel worked there by grinding her subclass, Tailor, sewing leather armors. She didn't have a chance to experience actual combat during those times, reason why her class' level is lower than 20.

On the other hand, Merida is like a lonesome hunter. She gained her level by adventuring on her own. She once mentioned to him too that back in the real world, Merida is a champion in archery, making her really good for her class.

Ana's the first to recover, "the training would be at the beach, most probably to fight Ascot Crabs. I just don't know what would be the set up there."

"I think it'll be one-on-one." Hiccup concluded.

In Elder Tale, raiding a dungeon usually requires a party to complete the quest so it's easy to guess. Fighting Ascot Crabs which level range from level 5-15 means it must be a task to know the capacity, capability and limits of a player.

Asking Hiccup, he would prefer raiding a dungeon as training but he isn't stupid or insolent to push it.

Besides, he wanted to know what he can do.

"Be a man and trust yourself." Astrid would tell him if she's with him.

_Astrid._

He shook his head to remove all negative thoughts.

"Are you alright?"

Rapunzel, looking at him with a worried expression on her face. She's now seating beside him.

Hiccup nodded and looked around to find Ana and Merida engaged in their own conversation.

He turned back to her, "I'm fine" then hesitated for a moment but continued, "How about you? You seemed… uh, preoccupied."

She looked away from him and stared blankly at the fire, as if she has no intention of answering his question.

Hiccup was about to change topic when she spoke again in a low voice.

"Back in reality, I'm quite isolated."

"Isolated?"

She nodded, "My mother is overprotective. She never let me out, says it's so dangerous outside.

It wasn't really a problem. I'm home-schooled and she provides me all that I need.

At first, she's also against on the idea of playing Elder Tale but since it'll keep me inside our house, I managed to convince her."

Rapunzel continued, "At times I wished I listened to her but I feel guilty because by the moment we are already trapped in the game, instead of feeling bad, I'm really happy. I was like, I'm free! I can do what I want."

She sighed and hugged her knees as she proceeds, "The new experienced made me feel ecstatic. I saw new places, met new people, made few friends. It's like a dream come true.

But then, the reality hit me. No shelter, no good food, I can't logged out. I'm lost."

"That's where Hamelin came?" Hiccup confirmed.

"Yes, I'm lured to Hamelin because of that. We all experience how hard our situation back there. I keep thinking it's my punishment for not listening to my mother when she is right."

Now, Hiccup knew.  
He only joined Hamelin when he learned that she joined there, too.

By that time, he already knew that something is going on with that guild.

Back then, Rapunzel is so popular with the beginners.

She was friendly to everyone. Appreciate things as if seen for the first time. Smiling like sunshine despite of the gloomy atmosphere of their new reality.

She's the reason why he realize that there must be a way to survive.

Maybe she didn't know it herself, but she save him from falling to an abyss called despair.

And he felt that he needs to return the favor.

So he entered Hamelin and tried to protect the child lost in wonderland.

"Do you really think everything happened to you are bad?" Hiccup asked, looking at Rapunzel's green eyes intently.

She shook her head, "I found friends. All of you are very nice and I don't regret knowing everyone of you."

"Then, you're just confused." Hiccup stand up, "These are all new to you. Your mother had her own ways of bringing you up and I know she has her own reason why she told you that. But don't let it bother you. ", He offered his hand.

For the first time in weeks, Rapunzel smiled brightly. She perfectly understands what he meant and reached his hand to pull her up.

They stand and Hiccup led her to Ana and Merida that's still talking to each other, a little further from them.

Before proceeding, Hiccup quoted something he heard somewhere,

"Remember, Adventurers are free. But being free takes a lot of resolve."

* * *

Okay, thank you for reading! I don't know when my next chapter would be, though.

Ciao!

I.C.


End file.
